


Happy Beginning

by MidnightRedHead



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, I am drowning in this fandom but please don't save me, My First Work in This Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:35:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24573160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightRedHead/pseuds/MidnightRedHead
Summary: Some fluff after defeating the Devil.
Relationships: Apprentice/Julian Devorak, Julian Devorak/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 17





	Happy Beginning

It was uncharacteristically quiet on the streets of Vesuvia. Even the usually jubilant marketplace remained dark and empty long after the sun had poured her rays over the seemingly normal little town. The days that preceded had been filled with uncertainty as the darkest of evils threatened to snuff out the light. The Devil had failed and the world had survived, though not unscathed. On this particular morning, they would rest. They would heal. And then, as they always managed to do, they would move forward. 

Ocean blue eyes squinted against the unwelcome light. No, she was too sore, too tired, too  _ done _ to leave the comfort and safety of such a soft, warm, welcoming bed. With a lazy wave of her hand, the curtains drew together, successfully extinguishing any light that had managed to peek through. Tempest allowed her arm to fall, landing limply across her side. She still possessed some magic, it seemed, though she wasn’t certain how long it would take to recover from such bold usage. She closed her eyes once more, her fingers brushing across a patch of still sensitive skin just below her sternum. The Devil's chains had ground and chafed her, nearly tearing her in two, but no scar remained. Only a dull ache reminded her of how close she had been to failure... before Julian had called her back with the stubborn relentlessness of his devotion. 

The mattress shifted and she did not even try to resist the smile that tugged upward on the corners of her lips. Against the protest of sore muscles, she slowly rolled onto her right side to gaze upon the man that shared her bed. Her doctor.

His bare back faced her, a myriad of lightened scars telling their tales of a fugitive’s life before redemption. Instinctively, she reached for him, feeling the raised skin of a particularly intense scar that decorated his left shoulder blade.  _ ‘A guard's knife,’  _ he had told her. It had been the first night they had spent together when she first bore witness to the tolls running and hiding had taken on his body. Before the night’s end, she had kissed every scar as he told the tales of their origin. Those moments were more intimate than the lovemaking that could have followed but didn't. He had shown enough vulnerability that night and, though she was certain he would have been willing, they spent the night simply lying in each other's arms. 

“Julian.” A whisper as she drew herself closer, molding her front to his back. Her thin sleep shirt did nothing to shelter her skin from his warmth. She found herself hoping she hadn’t woken him after all. Refusing to separate, they had practically crawled upstairs and collapsed after the final battle, physically and emotionally drained after the turmoil of the past few days. A few more hours like this were well deserved and long overdue. She didn’t even try to resist when her eyelids began to droop, his soft breathing and steady heartbeat lulling her into a dreamless but restful sleep.  
  


* * *

  
The sun was well into the sky when she next knew anything. Tempest couldn’t remember the last time she had slept in that late. She was even more surprised to find herself still twisted around Julian. Pressing a featherlight kiss to his shoulder, she smiled against his skin when he began to stir. “I always took you for an early riser, Doctor Devorak.” 

"Usually, darling.” His voice was thick and laced with sleep. He pulled away slightly to stretch tired limbs before settling back into their previous position. “But I also usually don’t have a stunning creature like you in my bed.” She could almost  _ feel _ his smirk, but chose to snuggle closer as opposed to the playful smack she thought about giving him. 

They fell into a comfortable silence, Tempest’s fingers skimming up and down Julian’s arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake. She finally allowed her hand to close around his, their fingers lacing together. 

Sitting up slightly, Julian rolled over to face her, their foreheads nearly touching as he laid back on the pillow. He reached for her hand and smiled at her before he began to lazily spin the ring she wore on her forefinger. 

“Do you think it’s over?”

His smile faded as gray met blue, a plea for reassurance reflecting in her cyan orbs. It was obvious that the question had been expected, but the answer was not at all easy. 

“No.” Julian answered quietly, releasing her hand to cup her cheek. “Maybe this chapter, but he will be back and he will be out for blood.” 

“I just— I want a chance at  _ this _ ,” she waved a hand nonchalantly, “and more.” 

There was a ghost of a smile as she placed her hand on top of the one he held against her face, dragging it over to kiss his palm before she sat up. "Doll, you—"

She smirked over her shoulder and purposefully drew his attention to the skin now visible from the drooping sleeve of her night shirt. Tempest gave a yelp as he sat up and pulled her back against him, nipping playfully at her ear.

Dragging his fingers up her arm, he reached her hair—the braid barely still holding—and pulled it aside to allow access to her neck. Tempest hummed in appreciation, tilting her head. “You know,” Julian breathed between gentle pecks against her pulse, “we’ve seen every inch of one another before and yet—" 

He heard a mumble that sounded dangerously like  _ ‘less talk’  _ and had to stifle a chuckle. Tempest spun to wrap her arms around his neck, kissing him with all the fire and passion she felt while pushing him back to straddle his hips. Just as he reached for the hem of her shirt and began to roll it up—

"Ilya? Tempest?”

Julian deadpanned. “Little sisters are the worst.”

"Temp? Julian? Are you guys here?” Asra’s voice traveled up the stairs and Tempest slapped a palm to her forehead.

“Well.” Her teeth worried at her bottom lip while Julian scrutinized her with a raised eyebrow. "Some other time.” The doctor sighed and dropped his head. He wasn’t angry. He was just pouting. She leaned down to kiss the tip of his nose before Portia’s voice traveled up the stairs again.

“Are you guys here?”

Tempest couldn’t help but laugh as she rolled off the bed. This was her “normal” life, and she wasn’t going to take a single moment for granted. 


End file.
